What He Taught Me
by MoreRoses
Summary: Death is never easy on anybody, but rather than dwell on the regret, and sadness that lingers in your heart, why not sit back to reflect on what you learned from them, and how much they changed your life? how they changed it without even knowing. Fred/OC


It was sunny. All around me the sun was out, birds were singing through the air, and there was a gentle breeze toying with my wavy blonde hair. Right underneath me, was the casket of the one whom I love. The one who got away, that I never had a chance to say goodbye to, or, to say I love you.

In front of me was a tombstone, obviously new, hadn't been there for too long. On it was his name. Fred.

I had purposely come on a sunny, happy day during spring. Anything else wouldn't have been fitting, and going to the graveyard to mourn in the rain was an over used cliché used in muggle movies.

"Hello Fred. It's been a long time, I know. I'm sorry that our reunion couldn't be under better circumstances."

I looked down and realized that I was standing where his head probably was and quickly moved over to the left and knelt down, gently placing my hand on the stone. My eyes were starting to hurt from holding in the tears that I had managed to hold in on the walk to this site.

"I miss you Fred. I really do. I truly wish I had known you longer, and I wish I had gotten to the courage to tell you how I really feel. I had so many opportunities to do so, but I never did. I'm a coward, so unlike you. Remember the time when I accidentally opened the box of Mystic Moonshine Beetles? I was so scared they would destroy everything, but you just laughed it off like it was no big deal and caught them all."

I remembered that day well. I fell even more in love with him that day.

It wasn't all that long ago.

"FRED!"

"What I- Merlins beard! What did you do?" Came a frantic cry from the doorway to the shop.

"I opened the packages that came for you! Why wasn't there a damn warning label!"

"Dammit, hang on!"

All around us the beetles were jumping around spraying everything with shrinking elixir. I have no idea where the name came from for them, but I had no idea that this would happen.

"Hold on Annette! Don't worry!"

I was in the corner with my wand trying to blast the bugs into dust before they could land on me, since I wasn't exactly sure what this product did since it was brand new.

He whipped out his wand and yelled out a spell, I didn't quite catch it, and what looked like a mini tornado ran around and collected all the beetles, then literally hopped into one of the boxes. He then closed the boxes quickly, and walked over to me. I hadn't realized I was shaking until he put his hands on my shoulders and I saw his hands shake with me.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause all this chaos." I said looking down and trying to regain even a little composure, straightening out my mandatory royal purple top and green apron that was secured around my hips.

"It's alright, It was an accident and you didn't mean to do it. Deep breathes, you were brave." He said tilting his head to the side grinning like he always did, even when things were crazy all around him.

"You're so full of it." I replied, grinning widely up at him from under my eyelashes as I finally stopped shaking.

He smiled and ruffled up my hair, rolling his eyes at me as I relished the electricity that coursed through my veins whenever we would touch.

"So?" he said, calmly.

I couldn't help but smile and tug a little on my sleeve, adjusting it.

He chuckled and walked out the front door, putting on his dark violet dragon skin coat that somehow looked dashing on him, rather than gaudy seeing as it was noon and it was over 70 outside. On the way out the double doors he called over his shoulder, " be careful, and do try not to completely destroy the place while I'm gone this time!"

The memory slowly faded away to the back of my mind, and I found myself still in the graveyard, still kneeling in the freshly cut grass, and the grey tombstone also still there. I stopped talking and just looked at the flowers that I had left leaning up against the face of the stone underneath the engraving, sunflowers and daffodils tied with an orange ribbon. The flowers reminded me of him, in so many ways. Bright, cheery, and always making a statement amidst even the most menacing plants. I tied them together with an orange ribbon, a tacky, awkward way of trying to imitate his loud ginger hair that I still missed to this day.

I hadn't gone to the funeral. I hadn't been invited. Nobody knew who exactly I was, I was just the smiley girl with grey eyes who worked around the shop the twins owned in Diagon alley. I wasn't family, and nobody thought I was a friend of Fred. I was just, an employee. It felt like my heart was being strangled in barbed wire and dipped in vinegar at the thought.

I didn't know the details of how he died, but I know that it was during the final battle against he who must not be named. George never brought it up, and I wasn't about to make him, it would be too painful.

"I really miss you Fred, even after all this time has gone by." I whispered solemnly, feeling the sun on my back.

"Hey! What are you doing here!" called a voice, shocking me since this was a private graveyard for the Weasley family.

I looked up, and for a moment I saw Fred rushing over, furrowed eyebrows and confusion on his face. I shook my head and realized it was only Ron. I had seen him a few times at the store in Diagon alley, I had never met him or anyone else in Fred and George's family.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Ill leave you to mourn your loss in peace." I stammered, mustering a very small smile, fiddling with the bottom of my sleeves in anxiety.

I saw his face twist up in confusion as he looked from me, to the tomb stone, and then to the flowers.

With that, I smiled sadly at him, and I walked away holding back my tears. I didn't say goodbye, I didn't tell him I love him. Why should I burden him in death, when I couldn't even do it while he was alive and still with me.

I kept walking, I didn't look back and I felt like I was going to burst into tears and sob any minute. But I didn't, I couldn't allow myself to ruin Fred's memory with sadness over things I couldn't change. I wouldn't cry. I would be strong. Id be brave for him. If anything. I was going to honor Fred, with the one thing that I learned from him before he died at the end of the war.

Be brave in every situation, no matter what, and everything will turn out ok in the end. It just has to.


End file.
